Wharf Life Mar 3-13

+ Why Canary Wharf Group wants to hear your ideas Page 11

Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

inside issue 39

Paint Jam London - Old Flo - Canary Wharf Squash Classic Silverguard - Waka - Poplar Union - Hatching Dragons Made In Greenwich - Barkney Wick - My London Home Canary Wharf Group - Berkeley Homes - Notting Hill Genesis Chris Ezekiel - David Lefevbre Sell - Puzzles

place creating a

how Art In The Docks is bringing life, collaboration and creation to Royal Albert Wharf Page 36 celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness

Image by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

SALES & NEW HOMES mylondonhome.com

canarywharf@mylondonhome.com

CALL 020 7227 0044

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

read

feast your eyes on these

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

Barry’s Bootcamp Crossrail Place

ONLINE | Digital Red Room Membership Barry’s Bootcamp is offering online memberships with two 30-minute workouts uploaded every day to keep you in shape during lockdown.

Ongoing, £86 for 30 days, survival.barrysuk.com Where?

Vashi Cabot Place

Welcome to the March issue of Wharf Life. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information about events featured, but please check with the organisers as things can change quickly in lockdown.

Stay safe and keep supporting local businesses

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why a tray of Gaucho steak satisfies with fewer fries

Why this match is worth a rewatch with the finalists

by Jon Massey

ONLINE | Video Consultations With stores shut, jeweller Vashi is offering digital appointments with its designers where customers can shape every aspect of their purchases.

Ongoing, vashi.com Where?

Canary Wharf Virtual

ONLINE | Card Making Workshop Hunting a creative activity for the last days of lockdown? Why not learn how to create colourful marbled cards with this free online workshop?

Until Mar 31, canarywharf.com

listen up

N

ormally, a serving of chips so meagre would have me incandescent with injustice – especially having paid £10 for a tray of food. But perhaps lockdown has softened my heart.

While parting with a tenner for a takeaway lunch seems like a lot, Gaucho’s pop-up takeaway, located on the river at Westferry Circus in Canary Wharf, has the plucky air of a business that wants to survive despite a year of closures and restrictions. Where others remain cold and shuttered, it’s out there offering passers-by Argentinian fare such as empanadas and churros.

And its steak and chips may be Wolford, £30 one of the only iterations in London right now to be heavier on the meat than on the potatoes.

It comes nice and rare, drenched in a flavourful, herbal sauce and is pretty filling – which it ought to be, given the cost.

I can’t pretend it’s the equal of

07 Gaucho’s takeaway steak and chips is heavy on the well-cooked meat Gaucho’s steak sandwich, also £10, which is an altogether more satisfying all-rounder.

But, given a few extra fries, it would certainly punch its weight and maybe even move up a class.

Besides, with the arrival of spring heralding, hopefully, better times ahead for all, this is no time to ease up on supporting local restaurants.

Go to gaucho restaurants.com

sign up here to get Wharf Life’s free fortnightly e-edition and newsletter Rapper Lady Leshurr has released her latest track Brenda, with a video featuring Canary Wharf and Billingsgate Fish Market in the background – we don’t know whether the Dancing On Ice star popped in for any skate @imladyleshurr on Insta Scan this code to watch the excellent video for Brenda, shot substantially by the Traffic Light Tree want more? @wharflifelive

Enter Canary Wharf’s story competition for local secondary school pupils

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Paint Jam London’s Dalia Zermon on the joy of sketching

the joy of six Every issue Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 29

get in touch

correct us

Editorial email info@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300 Advertising email jess.maddison@wharf-life.com call 07944 000 144

Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate

Go to wharf-life.com for more information

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we want to hear from you

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Canary Wharf

on the radar

doing the deals

get more for less in and around the Wharf

need to know

£25

While dates have yet to be confirmed, we’re expecting sustainable trailblazers The Greenhouse Theatre to bring its zero-waste performance space to Canary Wharf in 2021, inspiring people to make better environmental decisions in their lives greenhousetheatre.com

34

Churchill Place-based Brewdog is offering dinner for one including a burger, wings, fries, dip and a crowler of beer or G&T – order online for delivery brewdog.com

38

Buy online as Made In Greenwich works to support local makers

With clothes shopping next to impossible in person, Boss in Cabot Place is offering private, virtual consultations in the comfort of your home, with any purchases shipped direct to your home.

Shop like a boss Call 020 7715 5302 to make a booking

Barkney Wick offers community for pups and humans alike

1p

32

As nursery school Hatching Dragons prepares to open its doors in Rotherhithe, we talk bilingual early years education and starting a business with founder Cennydd John

Currently open, Holland & Barrett in Canary Wharf is offering 100s of products on a buy-one-get-one for a penny basis. Customers can mix and match hollandandbarrett.com

get in touch to find out how we can help your business reach out to our audience

email advertising@wharf-life.com to find out how we can help you reach our audience through our 15,000 papers or directly via letterbox

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

write me

style it

words you don’t know you need

lifit

noun, fake, from Scots When someone is Covid-secure enough to share an elevator or small space with, they are “lifit”.

As lockdown restrictions relax we’re all likely to be in closer proximity again and spotting such people will be important

Isle Of Dogs company SilverGuard’s cupped mask costs £14.99 to buy online at silverguard.co.uk

dauncy

adjective, real, from Irish It may be pretty archaic, but why not get into the habit of describing those who look noticeably unwell as dauncy? It has a certain charm that “peaky” lacks and is much more refined than “like crap”

Help your loved ones to help you kiddrapinet.co.uk/understandinganlpa

You can’t control what the future holds, but you can control who makes decisions on your behalf.

Download our FREE guide to MAKING A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) Book a consultation with Tatiana Zenia today on 020 7925 0303 or email tzenia@kiddrapinet.co.uk

I

n my last column, which featured locally made face masks – I mentioned I was searching for a face covering that wouldn’t steam my glasses up. Isle Of Dogs-based firm SilverGuard, read my piece and got in touch.

The company currently sells face masks and snoods on its website, with a plan to launch a range of towels, bedlinen and aprons in the near future.

There’s been lots of speculation that the use of face masks may continue even after the pandemic as a precautionary measure, and if that’s the case, then you may as well seek out an all-singing all-dancing one. SilverGuard says its products are made using self-sanitising yarn, combat odours and are environmentally friendly. The company uses silver thread technology in its garments, which it says helps them kill bacteria and including those that cause acne.

But that’s not all. SilverGuard says its cupped face masks have a strengthened nose bridge that, when moulded properly against a user’s face, stops glasses from steaming up.

I had to try one.

I tested both the mask and a snood. The softness of the latter’s fabric on my skin really surprised me, it was very comfortable and breathable. The stretch in the cloth allows versatility in how it can be worn, meaning it’s possible to wear it with a beanie hat or a headband. I found it ideal for walks in cold weather.

The mask took a little getting used to. At first, I hadn’t moulded the bridge section to my nose properly, so while reducing the fog in my glasses, it was still difficult to see through them.

However, having cracked the method and by wearing my glasses slightly over the top of the mask my lenses remained clear.

I only wear my glasses for driving and long-distance vision, but if you are a regular wearer, this could really be a game changer. The mask comes in two sizes and four colours and, like the snood, costs £14.99.

I’m tempted to try out some of SilverGuard’s other products when they arrive – particularly the bedlinen because of the firm’s claims about its anti-odour and anti-acne properties. If this hygienic technology had been around in 1998, Tracey Emin’s artwork, My Bed, might have caused less of a stir.

Natasha Maddison @pazzanatasha on Insta

treat yourself

a ludicrous indulgence Balckberry And Pear Doughnut Crosstown Doughnuts, Jubilee Place, £4.50 Got something to celebrate? The answer lies in this marvellous, vegan creation from Crosstown.

Soft, yielding and delicious, don’t let the soft corners of this rectangular treat confuse you – this is a sharply executed piece of engineered baking designed to hit your tastebuds squarely in all the right places.

It’s also ideally shaped to fit in boxes, although I’m sure that had nothing to do with the inspiration for its design.

Essentially a blackberry crumble in deep-fried form, this doughnut is a deconstructed marvel of rich flavours. From the cracking of its icing to the deep well of blackberry compote in the centre, it’s a luxurious, long treat that makes us long for a return to the conviviality of baked-goods time at the office.

Go to crosstowndoughnuts.com Jon Massey

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Sets played in the 2020 final of the Canary Wharf Squash Classic

Scan this code to view the game Competitive friends: Ali Farag is helped to his feet by Mohammed El Shorbagy

El Shorbagy reaches low to return a probing shot from Farag Images by St James’s Place Canary Wharf Squash Classic

why two top squash players make for a Classic commentary

GRAYSON PHOTOS INTERIORS - PORTRAITS - LANDSCAPES CORPORATE - PUBLIC RELATIONS - CHARITY DISTINCTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY IN DOCKLANDS & EAST LONDON

by Jon Massey

U

CREATING IMAGES THAT STAND OUT INFO@MATTGRAYSON.CO.UK CALL 07790 775 981 GRAYSONPHOTOS.CO.UK

nfortunately the return of spectators to sporting events hasn’t arrived quickly enough to allow the Canary Wharf Squash Classic to take place this March.

Those missing the fast pace of the action at the East Wintergarden are able to relive the 2020 final, thanks to a video available to stream until April 30.

On The Mic: El Shorbagy V Farag features special commentary from finalists Mohammed El Shorbagy and Ali Farag as they watch the game back.

And it’s a surprisingly touching film as the two Egyptians – both right at the top of the sport internationally – laugh, joke and discuss the rigours of the sport.

There’s clearly an enormous amount of warmth between the two, as well as

a deep desire for things to return to normal so they can get back on court across the world and test their skills against one another.

While El Shorbagy comes out the eventual victor, winning three sets to one and extending his overall lead in matches between the two to 12 against eight, the importance of the score fades away while listening to the commentary.

Instead, it becomes a portrait of two rivals, who have a huge amount of respect for one another, mostly critiquing their own “feisty” performances and reliving the agony of their slips and errors.

By the end, the viewer feels almost as much of a burning desire for a rematch as they do.

Ali says: “I hope we get back soon – we need it, the crowd needs it.”

No truer words spoken. At least we have this for now.

See it at canarywharf.com

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

Scan this code to for full terms and conditions What do you see in her form? What stories does she have to tell? Who is she? That’s for you to decide, if you enter this competition

creative channelling that

flo

enter Canary Wharf’s short story competition for a chance to win an Apple iPad Air

C

anary Wharf Group is inviting students at secondary schools in Tower Hamlets and other institutions providing education for 14-to-19-year-olds to write fictional short stories on the topic of Henry Moore’s Draped Seated Woman.

Entrants are free to interpret the challenge however they wish, taking inspiration from the sculpture, known locally as Old Flo and currently displayed in Cabot Square.

The stories will be judged by a panel, which will consider a number of factors in deciding the one overall winner, including originality, applicability and public appeal.

The winning entrant will receive £1,000 for their school and an Apple iPad Air for themselves. Their story may temporarily feature on Canary Wharf’s Short Story Machines in April and, with their agree-

ment, will be published in Wharf Life.

Canary Wharf Group CSR programme co-ordinator Julie Dang, said: “The short story competition is a fantastic way to engage younger generations in public art, particularly Henry Moore’s Draped Seated Woman, which has a local connection to them being a resident of east London too.

“Encouraging students to get creative with their writing has so many benefits like building their confidence, stimulating their imagination to think outside the box, and improved self-expression.

“At the end of the competition, I look forward to diving into some really captivating short stories.”

how to enter Authors should aim for their story to be either one, three of five minutes long to fit in with the Short Story Stations’ format. These equate to up to 2,600 characters long for a one-minute story, between 2,600 and 4,800 for a three-minute story and between 4,800 and 7,500 for a five-minute story. Entries should not exced 8,000 characters.

Submissions should be sent by email to oldflo@canarywharf.com. By doing so entrants agree to the terms and conditions, which can be found by scanning the QR code above. Entries must be received by 5pm on March 26. Canary Wharf Group aims to announce the winner by April 5.

Email julie.dang@canarywharf.com for more details

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

Dalia, seen here with some of her work at her studio, has created an online video to help people start drawing during lockdown

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Years since Dalia founded Paint Jam London, running art events for everyone

Image by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

by Jon Massey

W

ith the mood music around vaccinations and the various dates for relaxation in the Government’s plans to incrementally lift Covid control restrictions, the country could be forgiven for thinking we’re in the last days of lockdown.

But, even with the relaxation of public health measures in a series of five-week chunks stretching over the next few months, it’s likely that process will feel pretty slow. Canary Wharf Group’s collection of online activities – posted to help alleviate the numbing chill of lockdown – remains as relevant as ever.

And for those who have yet to pick up a pen creatively, Paint Jam London’s Sketch On Home video is ideal for people keen to add an artistic ourish to what we all hope is the end of this strange time cooped up indoors. why Canary Wharf?

“We’d already done lots and lots of Sketch On sessions at Canary Wharf in Crossrail Place Roof Garden before the pandemic, and they’ve been great,” said Paint Jam founder Dalia Zermon. e started about five years ago and Canary Wharf Group just liked the concept – they contacted me and asked me what we could do for them in lockdown, and we thought of a few ideas.

“They really liked the idea that I put forward of Sketch On Home – the idea was to bring the experience of the live events into people’s homes.” what is Sketch On? “It’s a concept I came up with in addition to Paint Jam,” said Dalia.

“The idea in normal times is that we go to a location and we sketch there – we’ve been to the Tate, the South Bank, Regents Park – it varies.

“They were mainly gallery and ark-based intended worksho s.

So, for example, when we went to Trafalgar Square, we’d sketch the National Gallery building and then we would go in and sketch from the artworks on display.

“

We use an armchair, a bed and a plant pot as subjects – various other things that everyone could find at home – even a toilet Dalia Zermon, Paint Jam London

marks on your

why the founder of Paint Jam London would encourage everyone to take time to have a go at sketching as lockdown restrictions start to ebb away

“The whole idea is that it is very much something everyone can do – like all Paint Jam’s workshops.

“Sketching is something where you are very suggestively making marks to communicate something that you have before you, so it doesn t have to be an in-de th drawing. like to di erentiate between what we think of as drawing and sketching, which is really just to communicate what’s in front of you in any kind of naive way whatsoever.

“They were conceived to complement our Paint Jam events, which are ainting-based in a very social space with a DJ and drinks and everything. Obviously we can’t do these at the moment.” what’s the home version?

“The video that’s live at the moment, and will be available until March 31, is simply sketching at home,” said Dalia. “We use an armchair, a bed and a plant pot as subjects – various other things that everyone could find at home even a toilet.

“For someone who hasn’t done it yet during lockdown, I would just say: ‘Pick up a piece of paper in your house, a Biro or your kid s felt-ti en anything that s around that will write – and just see it as mark-making, e loring .

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

“I would start by putting down abstract marks to begin with. The misconception that some people have, especially if they haven’t done this before, is that they need to have a plan, which they then execute.

“No. Let your paintbrush or your art materials lead you. Make abstract marks. You don’t have to know what you’re doing to begin with, there’s no problem with that at all.

“It’s just seeing where you and your art materials want to put things on the page. If you do want to do something more figurative, you can pick up a pen and choose

your favourite plant. Look at it, think about the proportions, or just do it for fun. Don’t think about it, but just see what happens when you do it.” what are the benefits?

“It’s very relaxing, but it’s hard to e lain the benefits in words – expression and creativity are greater than the sum of their parts,” said Dalia.

Sketching can bring di erent eo le di erent things, but it certainly feels restorative and relaxing – an opportunity to express something. lso, you can find that what you end up doing on your page if you just let your paintbrush and your art materials lead you, can talk to you, and give you a symbolic meaning of something Continued on Page 10

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

from Page 9 in your life. It’s a very interesting process and sometimes the drawing or creation in front of you ends up speaking to you and telling you stu when you work in this abstract, free- ow way.

Scan this code to see Dalia’s Sketch On Home workshop

what’s the background?

Paint Jam was born out of Dalia’s passion for art, philosophy and music and traces its lineage through her own career as an artist to social painting workshops she hosted at Westbourne Studios.

“It was night-time painting with DJs, drinks, a bar, and we just evolved the conce t, she said.

“We became a pop-up art studio, going all over the place, creating these events for people. It was the whole mission of ‘art for everyone’. In normal times, we do public events every month that people can buy tickets to.

“We also do lots and lots of team building, corporate events, community events, birthday parties and hen parties.

“One of the things that is really important to us is leaning into the art itself. All our events are themed – on pop art, abstraction, surrealism or on an artist like Frida Kahlo, for example.

“We did two really huge immersive events at Canary Wharf throughout the entire Roof Garden.

“One was based on contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, which included a sculpture garden, that people painted. The other was for people to create completely abstract works. what about the future?

“I’m really looking forward to running big live events again, said Dalia. “People were always so happy in the environment of a session, it induces joy because we really make it so that everyone feels comfortable.

“Whatever art we’re doing, we break it down to the basic steps, so that everyone can engage with it.

“Around 25% of people who come love making art, and they’re delighted with a space to do it, because they’re out of their own place.

“Then 75% of the people who come along just want to have a go – so everyone loves it in their own

“

I’ve personally sent out art boxes to friends who have been having a hard time during lockdown to give them a different outlet Dalia Zermon, Paint Jam London

way, either because they know they like art or they’re discovering something new. We have music, which is uplifting and, for people who feel more free with a drink, there’s a bar.

“The past year has been an absolute nightmare, because every time we’ve programmed something we’ve had to change it – the boundaries just kept shifting.

“Until things are more certain, we can at least create at home. We do sell art materials if that’s what people want, but equally they can just use what they have in their houses. Our art packs make great gifts though, if you know someone who could benefit from them. ve personally sent out art boxes to friends who have been having a hard time, to give them a di erent outlet.

This space is for you to make some marks, which could be done using fancy pencils or simply a Biro as Dalia suggests Paint Jam sells art supplies packs for £32 online

Scan this code for more info on Paint Jam or to order art supplies

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

£100

Value of Canary Wharf gift card that survey participants stand a chance of winning

getting greener

by Martin Gettings

A

s we start to look forward to the lifting of some lockdown restrictions, it seems like all our attention is focused on returning to normal.

But what does normal look like? As we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, we have an unprecedented opportunity to come back greener, smarter, and more efficient than ever before.

Canary Wharf Group is constantly updating its sustainability strategy in order to deliver great spaces that everyone wants to live, work and relax in.

Over the years we have listened closely to what our stakeholders are asking for, and we’ve used this to shape the four key areas of our sustainability strategy – Climate Action, Beyond Zero Waste, Wellbeing and Responsible Business.

We’ve already made great progress in these areas, most recently releasing our Net Zero Carbon Pathway in December, giving us a clear roadmap to achieving that target by 2030.

And now we want to hear from you.

If you live or work in Canary Wharf, come here to experience our arts and culture, or live nearby, we want to hear your thoughts on how we can continue to shape our sustainability strategy.

Your input will be hugely important in the continued evolution of Canary Wharf and our commitment to delivering sustainable places.

To voice your opinion and enter for a chance to win a £100 Canary Wharf gift card, please scan the QR code on this page. The survey will be open until midnight on March 14.

Please join us in going All In for sustainability at Canary Wharf – your contribution will ensure the estate continues to be one of the most sustainable districts in the UK. We thank you in advance for your participation and look forward to seeing you back on the Wharf very soon.

keen to

Martin Gettings is director – sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk

your views

Now we want to hear from you – voice your opinion and enter for a chance to win a £100 Canary Wharf gift card Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group

Scan this code to participate in Canary Wharf Group’s survey

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

32 virtual viewpoint

by Chris Ezekiel

T

he right to free speech is a democratic freedom to be cherished. But we live in a time when the Internet makes it far too easy for people to peddle crazy conspiracy theories on a global scale – a particular problem during major global events.

The Covid conspiracy theorists are disrespectful to the families who have lost loved ones as well as to the carers and everyone involved in trying to defeat this dreadful virus.

They also represent a significant danger to society by spreading misinformation about the vaccine.

Social media platforms are ultimately controlled by a few men in Silicon Valley. They are the new media tycoons. They hide behind so-called terms and conditions for using these platforms, but the reality is they have their own agendas and apply their rules inconsistently.

There’s no clearer example of the danger to society and threat to free speech than the recent actions by Twitter, which banned former President Trump but allowed accounts that appear to be connected to Iran’s Supreme Leader to continue despite using the platform to call for the elimination of Israel.

However, before banning Trump, these social media platforms allowed the most powerful man in the world to instantly publish false information to millions. There’s also the issue of our personal information, which has become an important commodity for the Silicon Valley elite and faceless online abusers preying on the most vulnerable. The time has come to tame this modern-day Wild West. Like the ownership regulations, aimed at controlling media moguls, democratic governments need to put similar legislation in place.

This would fragment the web, which would have its downsides, but would ultimately protect our freedoms.

Years since Tim Berners-Lee proposed a hypertext system – starting the modern internet

tame time to

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at West India Quay’s Cannon Workshops Follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on Twitter Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual

Chris believes fragmenting the world wide web would have its downsides, but would ultimately protect our freedoms

Like the ownership regulations aimed at controlling media moguls, governments need to put legislation in place Chris Ezekiel, Creative Virtual

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

£5.85

The cost of Nikkei Chicken Yakisoba from Waka in Thomas More Square in Wapping

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

Waka is offering a

ONLINE | Party Watch this professionally filmed and edited play for two-to-four-year-olds. We follow Afonso who wants to go to his friend’s party, but where’s his invite?

Mar 6-19, pay as you feel, halfmoon.org.uk

menu of mostly hot food to take away

fusion during lockdown

reacting to

Where?

Smith’s Wapping

EAT | Seafood Order a wide range of fish and shelfish (or even a roast dinner) from this long-standing Wapping restaurant and help it survive for the future.

Tues-Sun, smithsrestaurants.com Where?

Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

how Waka is serving up a delicate twist on familiar dishes

by Jon Massey

P

robably the most impressive thing about Waka, located in Thomas More Square, is the quantity and quality it provides. For the comparatively paltry sum of £5.85, for example, it sells a hearty bowl of noodles to take away, complete with a decent slice of battered poultry on top. Billed as Nikkei Chicken akisoba, the cris y fillet comes on to of a soft, warming bowl filled with mi ed e ers, sesame seeds and a parsley and garlic sauce.

Plentiful and keenly priced, the dish is one of a handful on this establishment’s reduced lockdown menu. In less restricted times, this micro chain (the Wapping branch has sisters in the ity and hite ity o ers a full range of Nikkei cuisine – a blend of food from Japan and Peru that evolved as natives of the former emigrated to the latter.

While customers can usually purchase sushi, other cold dishes and desserts, the brand’s east London outpost is restricted in the main to hot dishes, all under £6. While London isn’t exactly short on takeaways o ering katsu curries of various descri tions, there’s something endearing about Waka.

It isn’t just the charming suggestion box that welcomes ideas, feedback or poems. It isn’t the little llama who inhabits a cubby hole in the bare wood of the interior.

It’s actually the food itself. The dishes, while familiar in name, are subtly di erent highly tuned, well e ecuted bowls of avour.

Perhaps that’s why brother and sister Nino and Irakli Sopromadze – formerly of the Criterion restaurant in Piccadilly – created the brand in 2017.

They’d spotted a niche only Nikkei could fill an u grade to the increasingly diluted Wasabi and the ubiquitous branches of Itsu.

Anyone who recalls Wimpy can tell you that takeaways have been serving up spicy beanburgers to veggie customers forever.

In 2021, Waka’s version is not only chunky but tastes clean and satisfying.

Arriving on a deep bed of soft rice, at less than a fiver it s a must for anyone feeling sub-par as lockdown ebbs away.

While soon, hopefully, we can all look forward to sampling the full menu at Waka, it’s good to know that until the data dictates, there’s a place locals can pop into for a comforting dish that will rove both filling and acked with wholesome tastes. Stick in on your list of things to do before home working becomes a distant memory.

Scan this code for more information about Waka or to place a click and collect order at its Wapping branch

ONLINE | Bump This screening of a theatre performance is ideal for all the family and expectant parents. Inmaculada clowns her way through a heartfelt day of parenting.

Mar 20-Apr 1, pay as you feel, halfmoon.org.uk

explore online

While the Tower Bridge Museum is currently closed to the public, that doesn’t mean you can’t discover the great crossing’s history online – visit its website for plenty of facts and creative ideas for bascule-based activities towerbridge.org.uk Scan this code to access Tower Bridge’s online resources and a series of podcasts on the landmark want more? @wharflifelive

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how Rosie Wilby has spent the last decade investigating breakups and how there’s joy after the years have passed

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

Craft Central Isle Of Dogs

BUY | Gusto Gourmet Market Taking place the first weekend of each month, this food market promises Italian treats. Entry is free but slots must be booked. Strict social distancing.

Mar 5-7, 10.30am-5.30pm, free, gusto-gourmet.com Where?

Hybrid Fitness Isle Of Dogs

GYM | Personal Training Missing the gym? Can’t wait to get back on the equipment? Try Hybrid Fitness’ personal training sessions outdoors with weights and rowing.

Ongoing, £30 tasters, canarywharf.hybrid-fit.co.uk Where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Try Harder Live Stream This surreal comedy sees three young adults, desperate for money, battling a boss from hell and training for a job they know nothing about.

Apr 6-8, 7.30pm, pay what you choose, space.org.uk

dance spectacle

London City Island-based English National Ballet has released Kenneth MacMillan’s romantic tragedy Manon – a full length recording of its 2018 performance – to rent online for £7.99 ondemand.ballet.org.uk Scan this code to watch the trailer for Manon, recorded at the Manchester Opera House in pre-Covid times want more? @wharflifelive

Minutes set aside for the online double recording of The Breakup Monologues for Poplar Union’s Women In Focus festival

by Jon Massey

R

osie Wilby has a long association with Poplar Union. The comedian has recorded many episodes of her podcast – The Breakup Monologues – at the arts and community centre, and now she’s set to participate in the venue’s Women In Focus digital festival this month.

Those who pay what they feel for a ticket to her forthcoming double recording session on March 8 (7pm-8.30pm), can expect a discussion of heartbreak, dating, love and marriage, with fellow comics Sindhu Vee and Jessica Fostekew.

“The podcast is the culmination of a decade of work during which I toured a trilogy of comedy shows around the world that were investigating the psychology of love and relationships,” said Rosie.

“That began back in 2010 with a show called The Science Of Sex, which was a spoofy lecture about love, attraction and sexuality. It ended with a show a few years ago called The Conscious Uncoupling, which was my own breakup story.

“Other performers and writers would often speak to me about their breakups after seeing the performances and I decided it would be good to do a sort of chat show about heartbreak – how we get over the ending of relationships – because it didn’t seem like it gets talked about enough.

“Initially it was just a little pilot live show and then it made sense to record it as a podcast because the conversations were so fun and interesting.

“Now that podcast is also going to become a book set to be released in May – The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy Of Heartbreak.

“As I’m a comedian, I’m trying to find some kind of positive upside to even the more challenging and difficult experiences in life.

“I’m certainly somebody who believes that out of those challenges we can often rise,

phoenix-like from the ashes, transform ourselves and actually learn to make better decisions about relationships in the future. People often report really positive things some time after a breakup.

“Maybe it’s starting new careers, journeys, hobbies or making new friends. It’s also probably making better choices about who to become romantically involved with.

“There’s a really positive spin on breakups – they’re massive learning experiences if we want to take that opportunity – that’s true of anything in life we might view as a failure.

“I’ll be talking about all sorts of things with Jessica and Sindhu. Both are, I believe, in happy relationships now, but we’ll be talking about the past and older breakup stories.

“Jessica has a podcast called Hoovering, which I guested on recently, where we talked a lot about food, so we might talk about the kinds of food we often crave when we’re feeling heartbroken.

“Given that we’re all in lockdown and things have been quite tough for everybody – the primary thing is that I hope Book of the shows: Rosie’s forthcoming tome

everyone who tunes in will have a bit of a laugh.

“The Breakup Monologues is very much about setting up a sense of community, and feeling that you’re not alone if you have been dumped recently.

“There have been, sadly, a number of divorces and

breakups during lockdown, because it has put a strain on families and relationships.

“It will just be lovely to see people on March 8 and hopefully, we’ll be back at Poplar Union physically soon.”

A

vailable to pre-order now, Rosie’s book aims to weave together her shows and the podcast episodes into something of a narrative for people to follow.

“Obviously it’s a non-fiction book, but I tend to write those a bit like novels,” she said.

“My first book was called Is Monogamy Dead?, which was based on the comedy show that formed the middle part of the trilogy I performed.

“It was all based on a survey entitled: ‘What Counts As Cheating?’, which is an interesting question when you really start delving into it.

“I very much used my own life experiences as a narrative – a personal way into these topics for people to get a hold of – because I was struggling to figure out why I’d had lots of different relationships.

“I was a serial monogamist, having lots of breakups, rather than finding it easy to settle down with one person, like my parents and their generation had done.

“This latest book follows that template, embedding the interesting factual discoveries I’ve made by talking to experts and academics in a story that is about me finding my way in my relationship. It’s quite a funny account of the ins-andouts of actually trying to stay in a relationship at last, after being something of a breakup addict.

“Doing these shows and recording the podcasts has been a cathartic exercise and I’ve learned a ton of stuff about how we process things and how we learn from mistakes.

“Sometimes we may choose someone who’s not a good long-term prospect but maybe would have been a brilliant person to be with for few months.

“I’ve learned a lot – particularly from the scientists I’ve talked to. I had a really

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

There’s a really positive spin on breakups – they’re massive learning experiences if we want to take that opportunity Rosie Wilby, The Breakup Monologues

interesting conversation with a woman called Anna Machin, who people may know from the first season of Married At First Sight. She was talking about the parallels between withdrawing from a drug and getting over a relationship break-up.

“I’ve also spoken to neurologist Brian Earp who’s looking into the chemical future of love and whether we might soon be able to take an anti-love drug or a pill that would help us to forget an ex.”

The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy Of Heartbreak is set to be released on May 27 and is avaialble to pre-order now – RRP £16.99, published by Green Tree.

catch it

Women In Focus A whole host of events are planned for Poplar Union’s Women In Focus festival, which runs from March 5-26, with full listings available online.

A number of them, including The Breakup Monologues will continue to be available online after their original performance date. They are: ● Jelly Cleaver’s House Party Performed Mar 5, 7.30pm Expect a combination of jazz, folk, rock and soul for this online gig featuring Jelly plus saxophonist Beth Hopkins and vocalist Kasia Konstance among others. Available on Poplar Union’s YouTube and Facebook pages after

time tragedy plus

equals comedy

● The Breakup Monologues Performed Mar 8, 7pm The final, edited podcast episodes will be available to listen to on Acast or The Breakup Monologues website, a few weeks after recording ● DJ Ritu Performed Mar 19, 7.30pm The world music guru and turntablist takes over Poplar Union’s library – also on Facebook and YouTube after ● Isat Performed Mar 26, 7pm Sounds Of Salone presents the Sierra Leonean-born, London-based singer for a set in the Krio language – also on Facebook and YouTube after Scan this code for full listings of Women In Focus at Poplar Union

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

3

Phases of redevelopment are planned for Lavender Pumphouse

by Hatching Dragons

how Hatching Dragons is set to bring bilingual nursery provision to Lavender Pumphouse

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

Weymouth Deptford (sort of )

by Jon Massey

HOLIDAY | Jojo’s Little Pleasure Palace Members of the Little Nan’s team have turned their hands to interior design as Nan About The House and are set to launch this holiday let in Dorset.

Ongoing, littlenans.co.uk Where?

Surrey Docks Farm Rotherhithe

An artist’s impression of how the room-within a room will look when phase one is completed, ready for launch in April

space exploration the architect’s vision

H

VISIT | The Barn Kiosk New pop-up by the Pear Tree Kitchen offers takeaways six days a week if you fancy sipping something while looking at the duck pond and goat yard.

Daily (not Weds), surreydocksfarm.org.uk Where?

The Yoga Room Deptford

ONLINE | Digital Yoga Sessions The studio at Deptford Market Yard may be closed, but business-owner Angie has been busy recording sessions and is offering on demand classes.

Ongoing, theyogaroom.london

drinking dates

atching Dragons’ approach to Lavender Pumphouse will see the nursery develop in phases, starting small, with provision for around 40 children and the space to grow through a series of phases to 120 if parents and staff think it appropriate.

Eleanor Dodman is the architect tasked with creating the plans to make that happen and has worked with Hatching Dragons before.

She said: “I hope the children get a sense of wonder and imagination – that this creates a space for them to learn, one I hope they will be happy in.

“In the first phase we’re creating a room within a room because the whole space is so vast and, downstairs, there will be a baby room where we’re going to play with graphic artwork as a visual stimulus.

“Upstairs the design will be a bit more pared back, as it will be for older children. We’re trying to

Following the Government’s announcement on the easing of lockdown restrictions, craft beer festival BrewLDN is now set to take place at Printworks in Rotherhithe from July 29-31 with tickets starting at £13.50 brewldn.com Scan this code to make a booking or find out more about the three-day craft beer event want more? @wharflifelive

Architect Eleanor Dodman has come up with the plans

make the whole space fun – not all pink and flowery, but more graphic and structured.

“The great thing about working with the same client on a similar type of building is that we can draw on everything we learnt during that project.”

Eleanor’s plans include preserving the last pieces of machinery dating back to the pumphouse’s working days – a link to the history of the area that can be used to engage the children.

An ugly suspended ceiling will also be removed to expose the vast vault of the structure’s ceiling and allow natural light to flood in through the building’s original skylight.

The phases are being rolled out using modular construction meaning the pumphouse’s interior can be reconfigured with minimal disruption and waste.

Cenn added: “We started with our end-game – phase three, so we know where we want to go but if we’d done that from the outset, we might have ended up with 10 children in a space for 120.

“I think it’s really important that the families get to decide how busy the nursery is, and if it gets to that point where it’s feeling full and we don’t want to get bigger, then we don’t need to. The benefit of this space is that it’s large and it’s a blank canvas.

“The theme for this school will be boats because of the docks and, in time, we’ll be constructing one in the outside space as a sort of sunken climbing frame.”

Hatching Dragons is happy to take those interested in its services through the plans.

A

fresh chapter in the life of Lavender Pumphouse is set to begin. Originally built by the Port Of London Authority in 1930 to house the machinery that maintained the water levels in the old Surrey Commercial Dock, the imposing brick and glass structure stands at the head of Lavender Pond. After the pumps were removed, the building served time as a local museum and was subsequently squatted – an occupation that saw its walls covered with gra ti and its re lica of Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding cake trashed.

The Pumphouse Nursery And Family Club, which most recently occupied the building, was rated inadequate by Ofsted in all categories and has since closed. So what now for this sizeable space in Rotherhithe?

The answer is the arrival of Cennydd John and the team at atching ragons. uent Mandarin speaker himself, Cenn had lived, worked and set up a business in China before returning to the UK where his son was born.

“I was working as a commodity trading recruiter finding coal traders for big companies,” he said. “But I missed my son – I would see him in the middle of the night. By the time I got back from work, he was asleep and when I left in the morning he would still be in bed. For the vast majority of my existence, I didn’t really get to see him at all and that made me very sad.”

Cenn was also disappointed by what the nursery sector had to o er when he began researching places to send his son.

“I was a little bit uninspired,” he said. “I’d studied Mandarin myself, lived in China and then returned to the UK. “I wanted something that would bring the world to my child, that would be commensurate with the money I would be paying – that would deliver excitement, education and create the foundation for my son’s future skills, attitudes, beliefs and capabilities.

“In the end I came to the rather selfish solution to set u my own

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

33

childcare provision – to keep my child close to me, but also, I thought it might be attractive to other parents and that’s how Hatching Dragons started.

“For me, language was key. I looked at what sort of provision was available in America and found more than 185 Mandarin and English programmes. I found them in Australia, Canada and Singapore, but none in the UK. “Looking at the world through the medium of a di erent language changes the way you interact with it. I wanted to harness the power of the early years with two aims – developing technical skill in a language that might matter for the future and for the children to get the cognitive advantages of language learning at a young age.

“On that basis it doesn’t really matter what the second language is – Mandarin is ours at this point, but we’re going to be doing Spanish soon too.”

W

ith well established branches at the Barbican and in Westminster, Hatching Dragons’ Canada Water nursery is set to open on April 6.

“Parents can expect split provision, with 50% of their child’s time spent with Mandarin-speaking personnel communicating with

Looking at the world through the medium of a different language changes the way you interact with it Cennydd John, Hatching Dragons

them in that language. The rooms are set up so children can re-access all manner of di erent resources and learning materials – the teachers are there to facilitate, interact and help them self-navigate and explore.

“Our primary objective is to get children school-ready by five and, by gradually creating a sense of structure in the pre-school programme, we can do that.

“What I hope parents expect from us is di erentiated early years educational provision that focuses on language acquisition and the cognitive advantages this can o er while getting their children excited by the wider world – the people and places within it – so that they leave us knowledgeable about a little bit more than their immediate community.”

While bilingual primary education is pretty much nonexistent at

resent, atching ragons o ers after school clubs and holiday camps to keep children up to speed with their Mandarin, even after they’ve left.

The company is also keen to foster a real sense of community and is set to provide a lounge space in Canada Water with kitchen facilities – a drop-in space where parents with DBS checks will be able to work close to where their kids are learning and participate when appropriate.

The aim is to make each branch of Hatching Dragons a real resource for parenting.

Cenn said: “Prior to Covid, we’d always made our schools the focus of activities for parents and that’s something we can’t wait to bring back. For example, we’d always have a cultural festival – be it Chinese or otherwise – each month and families would be invited to attend with their children.

“We also did events and parent training seminars – we’re an accredited teacher training organisation, so we re able to o er that expertise in safeguarding, behaviour management techniques and nurturing literacy and numeracy, to the wider parent base.

“Some nurseries impose dro ing children o at the door and then you don’t get to see them again until the end of the day. You can change that by making schools a locus of activity, with parents dropping in to see their children from time to time. That would be my ideal situation – I’d like it and I think parents would too.”

A full breakdown of fees can be downloaded from Hatching Dragons’ website. The hourly rate at Canada Water is £8 for under threes and £7 for over threes.

Scan this code for more information on Hatching Dragons

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

Hatching Dragons founder and CEO Cennydd John believes bilingual nursery provision offers children a wealth of advantages

dragon how to raise your

in early years education

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Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

take a breath

by David Lefebvre Sell

how shopping at Made In Greenwich is a win-win for the community and its customers

by Jon Massey

Running is great, but don’t do it if you hate it

I

’m aware I’m stating the obvious, but changing yourself is hard. Even under the best of circumstances, creating a new habit takes time, hard work and support. This difficulty is compounded by mental health issues like depression and anxiety. It’s so much harder to make a positive change in our lives if, deep down, we are convinced we are unable or unworthy.

Regular exercise has a positive effect on mental health for many. I am not suggesting it is a cure all and there are many reasons why it may be impossible for some, but it should still be one of the first things to try when it comes to mental health interventions.

The first thing is to start small. Setting unattainable goals is just a form of self Keep trying things until sabotage. Some people can walk into their first you find the activity or CrossFit class, have the support network that time of their lives and get hooked. Others will works for you. Change just find it demoralising and awful. Start with is hard, but people do it the long walk, or five every day. So can you press-ups or a little stretching, build your David Lefebvre Sell new habit on a gentle foundation.

It’s easy to find reasons to not exercise – you may need to trick yourself. Put your running clothes beside the bed at night or your weights in front of your TV. Set reminders, get all the apps on your phone and ask your friends to keep you accountable. Not everything will work – the point is to find out what does get you moving and motivated.

Make it fun. Running is a cheap and effective exercise routine. I absolutely hate it. You don’t have to do the thing you hate, so dance in your bedroom or get a dog or lift weights or swim or whatever.

Keep trying things until you find the activity or the support network that works for you. Change is hard, but people do it every day. So can you.

David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf Follow @davetheyogi on Twitter and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB Scan this code for more on David’s work as a psychotherapist and details of his online Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga classes

N

ews that non-essential shops could reopen in the UK on April 12 will be welcome to Mary Jane Baxter and the dozens of makers that sell their products through Made In Greenwich.

The store, which opened in Creek Road in September 2019, falls under the umbrella of Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA) and provides a physical space where local craftspeople and artists can display their wares and, in normal times, mix with customers.

Mary Jane, an author, maker and former BBC correspondent, works as the shop’s curator, seeing that it acts both as a retail platform and hub for established talent as well as supporting startups in the borough.

She said: “I’ve got quite an unusual background. I initially joined GCDA about four years ago to do press and PR, because of my background as a journalist.

“I’m also a maker – I left my job with the BBC in Brussels to train as a milliner and I publish craft books, which are all about helping other people to make things.

“When GCDA decided to go ahead with Made In Greenwich, its CEO, Claire Pritchard, saw me as the ideal person to run it because I’m a maker and perhaps also because I’d published a book called Chic On A Shoestring – I had a budget of £300 to open up.

“Me and a team of volunteers did all the work – we got the paint from a recycled paint project in Walthamstow and a lot of the decoration was done using old wallpaper sample books from a shop in Greenwich.

“Ikea very kindly sponsored the interior of the shop for us and did a refit for free. hen we started up with a social media call out for local makers, as well as looking at people who had been on GCDA courses, and just went for it.”

Having grown steadily since launch, the shop had also become something of a community hub by the time the pandemic arrived, having hosted a range of craft workshops as well as providing a space for visitors to have a cup of

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Makers stocked by Made In Greenwich with many pieces available to buy online

Mary Jane Baxter is the curator of Made In Greenwich and a maker in her own right – you can find out more about her at maryjanemakes.co.uk Her latest book Sew On The Go is due out this spring

buy it locally

Images by Silke Studio – find out more at silkestudio.co.uk or via @silkestudio on Insta

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich The Seeds Of Hope cards by Heather Pacic, left, and Ellen Strachan, are raising money for gardening projects tea and find out more about the s e tensive work. ary ane said e stock ieces from about makers in the sho it s a huge range. e ve got a articularly strong selection of ceramics because, shortly after we o ened, we were a roached by a grou of reenwich otters to do a o -u in the sho , and it went really, really well. s a result of that we ve got a great legacy work from eo le like adeline erbert, iona eacock, on uil ook and ohn awson. e have a huge range of roducts. here s ronwyn olfe, for e am le, who runs a small business called olfe s rinks and makes shrubs, which are vinegar-based cordials. She develo ed her business by coming through the training courses and her roducts sell really well.

I’m so looking forward nother maker who came to to opening our doors. us via that route is Sarah ar er, whose label a y y ar er Our shop is essentially sells really beautiful, eco-friendly a community space for soya candles that she uts into recycled ars. She uses ro er our artists, makers and essential oils and has become one customers of our best sellers. he list goes on hotograMary Jane Baxter, Made In Greenwich hers, artists and ewellers we ve got one, er-made, that goes mudlarking for little ieces of with designer Ellen Strachan and ot and glass on the banks of the artist eather acic to create two hames at reenwich and turns Seeds f o e cards es ecially them into ewellery. a ro riate given the o timistic hile lockdown restrictions news about lockdown restrictions mean the hysical sho remains easing. oth are available to closed, ary ane and the team order online, with roceeds going have worked hard to develo its towards gardening ro ects digital counter art as a latform in the borough. Ellen s black and for local makers to sell white lino-cut design their roducts. comes with a mini- ack She said t s of colouring encils been very tough. to decorate it with, e didn t even while eather s have a website . is sent out when we first with sun ower went into seeds that can lockdown, so be lanted by the we fast-tracked reci ient. that. lot of the ary ane said makers we have e ve done these John Dawson are starting out s ringtime cards porcelain bowl, £75 because we know what and do not have huge incomes, so we were very a tough time so many eo le have concerned for them. e are still at been having and we wanted to do a stage where our online business something so eo le could send a is in its infancy com eting with hug in the ost. giants like ma on so that s lthough we can t yet trade been hard, but we ve had su ort in the normal way, we ve done through the council, as many other our best to create some really businesses have. meaningful community ro ects am so looking forward to around ade n reenwich. hen o ening our doors. ur sho is we are back o en again, we ve got essentially a community s ace for some really e citing lans. want our artists, makers and customers. to have a mending session every he eo le who have discovmonth where eo le can come in ered us love that they re not only and learn to mend clothes. buying great roducts, but that e ve got five sewing machines they re also su orting the work so we can make the sho a lace of the laying their to ac uire life skills and en oy that art in a local enter rise that is creativity. think there s a real reinvesting in its community. t s a growing interest in making and win-win for everybody. m ust looking forward to being he sho has also teamed u able to su ort that in erson.

“

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

Kidbrooke Village Greenwich

The shop features a wide range of products from dozens of makers

EAT | Back-A-Yard Grill While this Caribbean restaurant may be closed to the public at present, check out its food via Uber Eats or Just Eat. Expect serious jerk seasoning.

Ongoing, breakfast from 9.30am, backayardgrill.co.uk Where?

The Tide Peninsula

SEE | Hundreds And Thousands Artist Liz West is set to wrap the glass balustrades of the 600m elevated walkway with a work that explores colour, light and the emergence of spring.

March-May, free, greenwichpeninsula.co.uk Happy By Harper candles and ceramics from Madeline Herbert in the shop

Where?

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | A Pattern Of Bad Behaviour This is way in the future, but at least it’s a performance that’s likely to go ahead. Strangers in a car park fight, then go for dinner. Darkly comic.

Jul 4, 7.30pm, £15, greenwichtheatre.org.uk Scan this code to view the full range available from Made In Greenwich online

support this

Throw your support and some cash behind Project Hope a campaign by Greenwich Council and Charlton Athletic Community Trust to raise £10k to support NHS staff as they continue to battle Covid-19 justgiving.com/campaign/ProjectHope

Olive necklace, £125 Rock Rose Jewellery

Scan this code to donate money that will go towards food and comfort items for hospital workers want more? @wharflifelive

36

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

how creators have banded together for Art In The Docks and are presenting a series of week-long lockdown residencies

7

Residencies planned by Art In The Docks to run during lockdown in Royal Docks Sculptor Vincenzo Muratore, left, and painter Christopher Mike collaborated for the first week-long residency of The Voyage at Royal Albert Dock

by Jon Massey

C

ollaboration, promotion, creation. Art In The Docks is a group of artists who’ve come together with the aim of running events, engaging with the Royal Docks community and providing support for its diverse membership.

The collective’s latest project – a series of week-long residencies in an unused commercial space at Royal Albert Wharf, supported by Bow Arts and Notting Hill Genesis – began in February and is set to run for the duration of lockdown. Titled The Voyage, the programme will see works created with the public able to watch through the space’s windows. Each artist is set to leave a memento after they vacate the premises.

Painter Christopher Mike and sculptor Vincenzo Muratore chose to collaborate for the first time over the first week. making the work The two artists decided to explore the stories around the Princess Alice, a paddle steamer, which sank in the Thames at Gallions Reach in 1878, killing more than 600 people – mostly ordinary Londoners returning to the capital after a day trip to the seaside.

“We’ve discovered there are people round here who definitely know about it, said Christopher. “It’s part of local history and they feel very strongly about it.

“The BBC put out an article describing it as ‘largely forgotten’ and I think at a national level that’s probably true. But it’s

art making space for

uite o ensive to eo le here to hear that.

There’s very little in the way of commemoration of this event.

The death toll was so high because many of the passengers couldn’t swim and were further plagued by heavy Victorian dress and a toxic cocktail of pollution in the water from local industries and the sewage system.

Vincenzo said: “Since we’re working in

a new development in the Royal Docks, most of the residents here don’t know anything about the disaster so it was useful for them.

“We wanted to create something with these two oating figures that told the story of this terrible disaster and, on top of that, a painting of the landscape where it happened.

“We were changing our minds contin-

Christopher and Vincenzo’s work shows the location of the disaster and figures sinking beneath the water. The piece remains on show at Royal Albert Wharf

uously – almost every day. We had many ideas.

“We discovered that an artistic collaboration is a series of very polite arguments, said hristo her.

“But we improved the work this way, and our friendshi at the same time, said Vincenzo. “Every day, each morning we’d wake up with a new idea. It was great. robably this one will be ust the first of a new series we do together.

Christopher added: “By having a week, we had to come up with the vision, work out the technical challenges and it did change all the time. We knew we wanted the high relief figure of the mother and child. Originally it was going to be an aerial view looking down into the water.

Then we decided to paint an image of exactly where the disaster happened – a few hundred metres from here on the hames.

Their collaboration remains in place – erha s the first sto on a long voyage, with works residencies by Sarah Lang, Neda Dana Haeri, Christine Elizabeth, Aidan Brooks and Charlie Tymms set for March and April. collective ambitions “One of the things that is generally true of creators is that they are very bad at self romotion, said hristo her. ost creators disappear into their burrows and work in isolation – they tend to be very insular.

“Art In The Docks brings people together – we have regular Zoom meetings. As a result you have the cross-fertilisation of ideas – a collaboration between a sculptor and a painter, for example and that’s not the normal thing you’d expect to see. There are roughly 30 artists involved with the group. One of the things we constantly hear from local residents is that they didn’t know we were based at Royal Albert Wharf and that’s something we want to change.

“As a minimum I’d hope people would think there’s something interesting happening on their doorstep with The Voyage. Having events like this is visually stimulating. All of us would be delighted if, by seeing what we did here, one young person had a moment that took them in an artistic direction. That would make all of this worthwhile. I have my studio door open throughout the summer and the most common question is whether we teach. We’d love to run community worksho s to get young creators involved. find Art In The Docks on Instagram @artinthedocks @christo.mike @vincenzomuratoreartist @yuliyavkrylova

Scan this code for more about Art In The Docks’ forthcoming events

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Royal Docks - Canning Town

One of the things that is generally true of creators is that they are very bad at self promotion – they tend to be very insular Christopher Mike, Art In The Docks

four focus

support your local institutions Where?

The Chocolate Factory Cafe Royal Albert Dock

TRY | Hot Chocolate If you’re stopping by to visit Art In The Docks, grab refreshments from this cafe – an offshoot of chocolate creators The Well Bean Company.

Daily, wellbeanco.com/cafe Where?

Excel Royal Victoria Dock

CONSULTATION | Future Plans Excel is set to expand to the east and the team wants the views of local people on its plans. See the proposals in this digital exhibition and comment.

Ongoing, visionforexcel.co.uk Where?

Expressway Royal Victoria Dock

APPLY | Youth Incubator Scheme Aged 18-30? Got a great entreprenurial idea? Then this could be the scheme for you. Work for free for six months and get help with your business plan...

Deadline Mar 22, expressway.london

go searching

following on

Yuliya V Krylova Yuliya, a multi-disciplinary artist, was the next creator to take up a week-long residency, following Vincenzo and Christopher.

She said: “I do many things – I make clothes, costumes, fashion, paintings and I perform. It’s all because I love doing it and, for me, art is all about love, nothing else. If you ask: ‘Why do you live?’ the answer is love. It’s very simple.”

Wharf Life visited The Voyage

shortly after Yuliya had set up.

She said: “You’ve arrived to witness me trying out the space, having a go for the first time to respond to Christopher and Vincenzo’s work.

“I’m going to make clothes, garments from used coffee bean bags. People see me stitch in front of the window and maybe they’ll get inspired to do the same. Then I will paint and invite others to paint with me and I will create a performance.

“It’s just something I enjoy, it’s not delivering some powerful message.”

As part of Join The Docks 2020, Arch 468 has created This Is Who We Are – a series of audio dramas by local writers. Head to Thames Barrier Park and hunt QR codes or visit the website for even easier access royaldocks.london Scan this code for more information about This Is Who We Are or to listen to the dramas want more? @wharflifelive

38

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

how Barkney Wick provides a space for pups and humans, topped off with plant-based treats

3

Months since Barkney Wick opened its doors at Fish Island

by Jon Massey

I

t’s been absolutely a whirlwind of a year,” said Jamie Swan, the owner of recently opened eco-friendly community centre for dogs and humans – Barkney Wick. Originally from Jersey, Jamie forged a career in London as a solicitor but handed in her notice in December as the launch of her business in east London’s Fish Island approached.

“I had originally intended to carry on, but then the project became such a big thing and I wasn’t really enjoying being a lawyer, she said. t wasn t firm s ecific, but more about not liking the lack of community or the way law firms o erate felt law wasn’t for me.

“In January last year, Wolfgang – my little pup – came into my life. I was living on my own and he’s my best buddy.

“When he arrived I’d been a solicitor for about 10 years, working in the City, and I obviously needed somebody to look after him and take him for walks.

“That’s when I met Lucy Mclaughlin, who had been walking pups in the area for about three years. ucy, olfie and me really hit it o .

“It’s amazing what she does.

She’s really good with all types of pups, including rescue dogs, dogs with di cult backgrounds and behavioural di culties. t s di cult to describe, but she’s got this lovely, soothing presence, and dogs really respond to her – she’s a Mother Earth kind of figure.

“Me and Wolfgang were meeting people in the area and forming friendships with them in a way I hadn’t experienced in places outside Fish Island, and I thought: ‘Why is there no space that is for this community of dogs and humans?’.

“Daycare is important and, pre-pandemic, people were going to work and were having to go outside Fish Island to drop their u s o . So, thought that I should have a look to see if it would be possible to create something.

“I texted Lucy, who was out walking at the time, if she would run the daycare if I found a space.

Jamie Swan, pictured with Wolfgang, has opened Barkney Wick, offering a range of services to humans and pups

Left, Barkney Wick’s cafe offers a warming selection of drinks and plant-based treats for both two and four-legged customers She asked me if I was drunk – it was 10.30am, but I said that I was deadly serious and we started looking at units.”

Having taken out a government startup loan, Jamie ended up with a unit much bigger than she’d intended – the only one available locally that wasn’t designated as studio space. But with greater size, comes greater potential and Barkney Wick opened its doors to four-legged visitors in January.

“It wasn’t quite the grand opening we’d hoped for because of the pandemic,” said Jamie. “But we already had quite a few pups registered when we opened. We now have about 145 on the books.

“In this community most of our dogs know

each other, they’re best mates. It’s like a nursery – you’re basically ust building u their confidence and you’re doing it in a way that’s s ecific to a u s ersonality. t s not like one si e fits all, and that also means that we get to know the dogs really, really well.” arkney ick o ers a range of services including hour-long walks in the park at £15 per session, full-day daycare with two walks (£35), half-day daycare based at the centre , dro o and lay sessions at £12 per hour as well as training and grooming.

The majority of the centre’s unit is given over to a large, self-contained space for the dogs who are being looked after.

When Covid restrictions allow, Jamie plans to hold community events in the

Barkney Wick also sells a range of pup-related products

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

39

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

space for pups and their humans.

Barkney Wick also has a sizeable cafe space with plant-based food and drink.

Jamie said: “We are a pups and humans community centre “We are very much into nutrition and education on animal rights and our diet is nutritionally incredibly sound – we don’t need to be eating meat every day.

“On a wider scale, it’s about thinking environmentally and making good choices.

“Our aim is to be zero-waste in five years and we think we re going to smash that – we are very much located in an area where people are mindful about that anyway, so we’re lucky in our starting point.

“We have this massive space at the back and we’ve made it so that everything is deliberately movable so people in the community can use it in the evenings for art, Yoga – even birthday parties – not just for humans, but for the pups as well. We’ve also applied for an alcohol licence, and we’re hoping to have a bar – the puns for cocktails are going to be amazing.

“I used to be a cocktail bartender many moons ago and we’re going to call it After Bark.

“It will just be a space on Fridays and at the weekends where people can come with their pups for a drink.”

Having already seen the demand at Fish Island, Jamie, whose background is in construction law, is also looking into moving forward with her longer-term plan.

She said: “We’ve started thinking about finding another s ace for daycare – probably in Tower Hamlets – and seeing if anyone in the area wanted to help.

“We’re very proud of what we’re doing and see it as something we’d like to roll out – I think it’s important, especially on the education side of things.

“We’re about 70% complete with Barkney Wick, but then I can’t stop thinking, every time I walk into the unit, that there’s more we could do with it.

“It’s a brilliant space because it’s so versatile. Obviously we’re at the point now when we’re starting to think about opening and launching properly as restrictions relax.

There’s a lot to look forward to.”

The pups participate in a range of activities

four focus

during daycare and play sessions

support your local institutions where?

Bow Arts Bow

woof all under one

ONLINE | Nunnery Gallery Shop Support local artists and makers by purchasing their products via Bow Arts’ online platform. Find everything from ceramic noses to satin tongues.

Ongoing, bowarts.org where?

Bromley-ByBow Centre Bow

ONLINE | Children’s Virtual Book Club Ideal for kids stuck at home, these sessions are aimed at children aged 5-10 on a weekly basis.

Contact Ricky on 07507 556 6908.

Mondays and Wednesdays, 4.30pm, bbbc.org.uk where?

Here East Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

KIDS | People’s Pavilion Design Workshop One for Hackney-based kids aged 14-19 – attend a two-day workshop to help design a public space that will be hosted at Here East.

Apr 24-25, free, beyondtheboxconsultants.com

volunteer here

Above, pups enjoy playtime at Barkney Wick, which also sells treats including pupcakes and lick & mix

It’s like a nursery – you’re basically just building up their confidence and you’re doing it in a way that’s specific to a pup’s personality Jamie Swan, Barkney Wick

Scan this code for more info on what Barkney Wick is offering

Even though lockdown rules still apply, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the work of Cody Dock in a socially distanced fashion as it begins spending more than £1million on regeneration codydock.org.uk Scan this code to find out more about volunteering at Cody Dock or simply popping down for a visit want more? @wharflifelive

40

Wharf Life Mar 3-31, 2021 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Tough

Previous solution - Medium

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4 2

SUDOKU

You can find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection ofTo others available in apps and books at str8ts.com. This complete Sudoku, fill the board Sudoku is supplied by Syndicated Puzzles. by entering numbers 1 to 9 such

No. 937 that each row, column and 3x3 box

Tough

contains every number uniquely.

Notes

2

1.

One who operates on the stock market (6,6) 7. See 14 Down 8. He is involved in a deceptive act (5) 9. See 10 Across 10 & 9Ac. A powerful way to put your foot down! (4,2,3,3) 11. May be worn by nearly everybody near the beach (6) 12. Musician to cope with, we hear (6) 15. The clue, senor, could be included in the envelope (9) 17. An electrical discharge used in nuclear chemistry (3) 18. Row upon row will produce signs of unhappiness, we hear (5) 19. I’m interrupting the lad, a simple soul (5) 21. Now is the time for using this in literary work (7,5)

Notes

Price lists read out in court (6,6) 2. Arable land bound to be unfinished 3. How I should be finished o 4. Revise the charge on a mooring-place (9) 5. Some of the college lecturers earmarked to take o ce 6. A race for the highest place in the church? (12) 7. Crime associated with a member of the firing squad? (5) 10. Oceans round strange shore will yield walruses (9) 13. Depicted with a haggard look (5) 14 & 7Ac. Makes a pretence, as the drama producer does (4,2,2,3) 16 . Free from guilt, that’s obvious (5) 20. Floor covering lacking polish? (3)

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Down 1.

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1.

9 7 3 1 6 8 4 5 2

Cryptic Solution

Down

3 9 7 4 8 5 2 1 6

Across: 1 Cattle dealer; 7 An act; 8 Cheat; 9 Gas; 10 Step on the; 11 Sandal; 12 Handel; 15 Enclosure; 17 Arc; 18 Tiers; 19 Simon; 21 Present tense.

Down: 1 Charge sheets; 2 Lea; 3 Dotted; 4 Anchorage; 5 Elect; 6 Steeplechase; 7 Arson; 10 Seahorses; 13 Drawn; 14 Puts on; 16 Clear; 20 Mat.

Across

8 2 4 7 1 6 3 9 5

1 8 4 9 1 2 If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps 5 9 2 3 and books. Visit www.str8ts.com 8 9 6 5 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such whether you’re beating the that each row, and 3x3 box 1 5 2 6 contains everycolumn number cryptic sleuth oruniquely.

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The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Cryptic

6 5 1 3 2 9 7 8 4

4

crossword The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

last issue’s solution

Previous Feb 3-Mar 3 solution - Medium

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

1 8 4 9 1 2 9 5 2 3 6 5 8 9 1 5 2 6 6 5 1 8 7 8 6 2

Quick Solution

No. 937